


On The Wings Of A Crow

by Jld71



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Death, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Murder, Rape, Resurrection, Revenge, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:06:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26997181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jld71/pseuds/Jld71
Summary: Jared returns from the dead to avenge his and Jensen’s murders.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Comments: 21
Kudos: 131





	On The Wings Of A Crow

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the movie The Crow http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109506/
> 
> Written for the 2020 SPN_Cinema Challenge
> 
> Beta: rocketmojo
> 
> Do Not Re-Post Without My Written Permission - Only To Be Posted On My AO3 Or LiveJournal Accounts
> 
> Art by: jdl71/jld71

It was once believed that when a person died, that person’s soul was carried to the land of the dead on the wings of a crow. Sometimes, when that person’s death was untimely - filled with rage - that soul couldn’t rest. And sometimes, a crow would carry that soul back, allowing it to mingle with the living so that soul may right the wrong done to it and find its release.

Jared Padalecki was one such soul. 

The silence of the night was interrupted by the sound of flapping wings and a lone caw as a crow landed on a headstone in a deserted cemetery. The crow seemed to dance in place on the top of the headstone before landing on the cold and solid ground. Turning to face the headstone, the crow tilted its head as if reading the name etched into the hard granite - Jared Tristan Padalecki. It cawed in calling again and then tapped its beak against the stone as if attempting to wake the dead lying in his grave. The ground beneath the crow’s feet began to rumble, causing the crow to caw once more before taking off to perch atop the headstone again as a hand forced its way through the packed earth. A moment later another hand pushed through clawing at the ground as Jared pulled himself up and out of his grave. 

Gasping for air, Jared lay on top of the cold ground he had just clawed his way out of. His nostrils were flaring and his chest was heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His hazel eyes stared up into the dark sky as he lay on his back trying to recall who he was. As his breathing returned to normal, he closed his eyes trying to remember something, anything that would help him figure out what was happening to him. He caught a flicker of a memory, one filled with happiness and love. He allowed himself to relax, hoping the flicker would grow into something more. A face began to form in his mind’s eye; one of cropped reddish-brown hair and pale freckled skin, piercing green eyes framed by long dark lashes, and soft plush lips. 

_ Jensen _ . 

He remembered sweet kisses and soft whispers. He remembered laughter and love. He remembered being happy before it had all been taken away from him. Something had happened, he just couldn’t recall exactly what. He remembered Jensen, and he had to find him. He had to let Jensen know that by some miracle he was back from the dead. Somehow he had been returned to the world of the living. 

The sound of wings flapping and the cawing of a crow caught his attention, forcing him to turn in the direction of the sound. A large black crow was sitting on a headstone looking at him. The crow cawed again and flapped its wings. He watched as the bird moved, its clawed feet seeming to dance across the top of the headstone, drawing his attention in. “What do you want?” His voice sounded rough to his own ears as he spoke. The crow cawed again, flapping one wing as if to beckon him closer. “You're an odd bird, you know that?” he asked when the crow tilted its head at him, one black eye blinking rapidly at him. He took a few steps toward the crow, ready to shoo it away when his hazel eyes glanced down at the name etched into the unyielding stone - Jensen Ross Ackles-Padalecki. He couldn't breathe. It was like all the air had been sucked out of the universe as he stared at that name. No, it wasn’t possible. The love of his life was dead.

He felt his knees buckle and he reached out, placing a hand on the headstone to steady himself. He sank to his knees as a sob was wrenched from his chest. “No!” he screamed over and over until his voice was barely a whisper. If Jensen was dead, then why was he alive? Why had he been brought back? What was the point? “Why? Why bring me back if Jensen’s dead?” he croaked out, looking into the black eyes of the crow. 

The crow opened its beak and cawed in answer to Jared’s question.

The sound from the crow was earsplitting, causing Jared to cover his ears, his eyes squeezing shut as he winced from the sound. Before he could open his eyes, he was hit with a memory, one he couldn’t stop himself from reliving.

_ Soft music played in the background as Jared turned away from the stereo to beckon for Jensen to join him. Jensen chuckled as he placed the knife he had been using to chop vegetables with on the cutting board. Walking over to Jared, Jensen accepted the offered hand as Jared pulled him into his arms. They swayed in time to the music with Jensen singing along to the song that was playing - their wedding song - Have I Told You Lately.  _

_ Neither had noticed that they were being watched by two men who had let themselves into their loft apartment. _

_ “Well, isn’t this a pretty picture?” Tom Welling called out, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he spoke, causing Jared and Jensen to pull away from each other to look at him. Tom Welling was the local real estate developer, who was known more as a slumlord than anything else. He was rich and influential and because of that and his connections to those in power, he was seemingly untouchable. _

_ “Yeah, they make such a sweet sight, boss,” Michael “Rosie” Rosenbaum remarked with a dry chuckle. Rosie was known around town as Welling’s bodyguard, or really Welling’s right-hand man, getting his hands dirty so usually Welling’s remained clean. _

_ “What the hell do you think you're doing? You can’t just come into our home,” Jared gritted out. _

_ Stepping closer and pulling Jensen away from Jared, Welling smirked. “I own this shithole, so I can do anything I want.” He shoved Jensen at Rosie, who caught Jensen as he stumbled, holding onto Jensen tightly as he tried to struggle to get free from Rosie’s grip.  _

_ Rosie grabbed the knife Jensen had been using earlier. “Be a good boy, and you might make it out of this without too much damage,” he said as he held the knife to Jensen’s throat, nicking Jensen’s skin to emphasize his words. _

_ Jensen grunted in pain, pulling Jared’s attention away from Welling to his husband. Seeing this, Welling pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and pushed it toward Jared. “Sit,” he ordered as he pointed to the chair. Not wanting Jensen to be harmed further he did as Welling had commanded. “Don’t move, just sit there and don’t say a word. If you don’t do as I say, I’ll let Rosie work out some of his aggression on your husband.”  _

_ Rosie snickered at Welling’s words as he tipped Jensen’s head up using the tip of the knife. “You smell good,” Rosie commented as he sniffed at Jensen. “Hope I get a chance to play with you.” _

_ “None of that, at least not yet,” Welling admonished as he walked into the kitchen and began rummaging around in the drawers until he found what he thought would be useful. Holding up the roll of duct tape, he chuckled darkly. “You see, Jensen, you can thank your husband for my little visit,” he said as he ripped a large strip of tape off and began to wrap it around Jensen’s wrists. When he was satisfied that Jensen’s wrists were securely bound, he handed the roll of tape to Rosie. “Take care of him,” he said, jutting his head in Jared’s direction as he pulled Jensen away from Rosie and then pushed Jensen toward the kitchen table. _

_ “Sure thing, boss,” Rosie said as he slid the knife into his back pocket so he was able to rip a long piece of duct tape from the roll and began to secure Jared to the chair. “Just wait, we’re about to get to the good part,” he taunted. _

_ “Jared,” Jensen called out, his voice laced with fear as he was forced down onto the table. He was positioned so he had his chest against the table with Welling leaning over his back.  _

_ “Jensen, Jensen look at me. Keep your eyes on me. Everything’s going to be okay,” Jared called out, trying to soothe away Jensen’s fear, struggling in vain to get free from the chair he was bound to. _

_ Welling chuckled darkly and shook his head as a smile came to his lips. “Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. See tonight, tonight is the last night of your lives as you knew it. Had your husband played along, things would have been different. I told him to just play ball with me when he showed up at my office with a list of complaints about this building; how the pipes back up, the lightbulbs in the hallways are never changed, the security door never locks, and so on. Had he done that, I wouldn’t be here now, taking time out of my night to deal with this shit. But no, Jared had to file an official complaint with the city claiming I’m nothing more than a slumlord. This place doesn’t look too bad to me. Does it to you, Rosie?” Welling asked as he looked up. _

_ “No, boss, this place is downright homey,” Rosie acknowledged as he kicked the end table, knocking the lamp off and onto the floor. “Oops,” he said as he brought his foot down on the toppled lamp, breaking it.  _

_ “You pay your rent, and I make sure you have running water, electricity, and heat. All the basics. What more could you want?” _

_ “You won’t get away with this. You can’t just bully us and think we’ll keep quiet,” Jensen gritted out. _

_ “Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. See I’m pretty well connected in this city. The complaint has already been swept under the rug. It’ll never see the light of day. I’m just here to make a point,” Welling said as he reached around and worked Jensen’s jeans open and down his legs despite Jensen’s struggles to stop him. “Struggling only gets me aroused,” he whispered as he undid his own pants letting them slide down past his knees. _

_ “Don’t do this. Don’t touch him!” Jared yelled as he struggled to free himself. “Leave him out of this!” _

_ “Wish I could, but you need to learn a valuable lesson. I don’t mess with what’s yours, if you don’t mess with what’s mine,” Welling grunted out as he forced himself into Jensen. _

_ Jensen screamed in pain as Welling shoved his cock into his unprepared body. He tried to claw at the table to get away from the man assaulting him. He could hear the sound of his heart hammering in his chest and drowning out the sound of yelling, making it muffled sounding to his ears. He looked up, his eyes meeting Jared’s, and watched as Jared struggled to get free from the chair he was bound to all the while screaming at Welling to stop what he was doing to him. _

_ “Stop! Please, stop… Jensen!” _

_ “Rosie, do something to shut him up,” Welling grunted as he fucked Jensen hard, rocking the table with his thrusts, and forcing grunts of pain from Jensen when he snapped his hips forward. _

_ Rosie smirked at Jared as he backhanded him. The act did nothing to stop him as Jared continued to yell for Welling to stop. Rosie pulled the knife out of his pocket and waved it in front of Jared before slicing Jared’s stomach with it. When that didn’t stop Jared from yelling, he thrust the knife into Jared’s shoulder, quieting him as Jared gasped in pain. _

_ Welling leaned over and licked Jensen’s cheek as he emptied himself into Jensen’s body. “Fuck, that was good, and Rosie was right, you do smell good, taste good, too,” he said as he pulled out and then redressed himself. “I like knives too,” he said darkly as he backed away from Jensen, leaving Jensen still bent over the table panting in pain. He grabbed the butcher knife from the butcher block on the counter and shoved it into Jensen’s left side, twisting it as he pulled it out, wrenching an anguished scream from Jensen.  _

_ Jensen couldn’t stop the scream that was forced out of him. He tried to look at Jared, tried to focus on his husband, but all he could focus on was the pain he was in. He began to shake as blood flowed from the wound, soaking his shirt and dripping onto the table.  _

_ “Your pain, your screams, are like music to my ears,” Welling said as he stabbed Jensen again, this time driving the knife into his right side.  _

_ “Stop, please,” Jared begged as he was forced to watch what was happening to his husband. “Please…” _

_ Welling reached out and pulled Jensen onto his feet. “You look like you’re hurting,” he said as he listened to Jensen’s pain-laced breathing. “I can help you with that. Let me stop the pain for you,” he murmured as he brought the blade up to Jensen’s throat, slicing across Jensen’s delicate skin, cutting Jensen’s throat and severing his carotid artery in the process.  _

_ Jensen’s eyes widened as his brain registered the searing pain and wetness of his own blood on his skin, and he tried to raise his bound hands in an attempt to stop the bleeding. His hands were quickly covered in blood as he desperately fought to save his own life. He heard Jared screaming his name, yelling that he loved him. He tried to speak, tried to tell Jared that he loved him and would always love him, but all that came out were wet gurgling noises as his life’s blood flowed from his body. _

_ Welling continued to hold Jensen up while he choked on his own blood. As Jensen’s life began to fade, he had to support Jensen’s body, listening to the gurgling sounds Jensen was making while Jared screamed for Jensen to hold on. When Jensen began to slump in his arms, he let go of Jensen, letting Jensen’s lifeless body fall to the floor with a heavy thud. _

_ “No! Jensen, no!” Jared screamed as he struggled to get free from the chair so he could get to Jensen.  _

_ Still holding the knife with Jensen’s blood on it, Welling walked over to Jared.  _

_ “Why?” Jared asked as he tore his eyes off Jensen’s body to look into Welling cold green eyes. “Jensen didn’t do anything to you!” _

_ Welling smirked at Jared. “You needed to be taught a lesson. There’s nothing more effective in teaching said lesson than by making your husband an example.” _

_ “I’m going to kill you!” _

_ “I don’t think so. Let me remind you, you’re duct-taped to a chair. But don’t worry, you’ll see your husband very soon,” Welling told Jared as he raised his arm and plunged the butcher knife into Jared’s heart.  _

_ That was the last of his memory, but he hadn’t been the only one there. A crow had been on their small balcony, feeding off of the birdseed Jensen would throw out for the birds every night. The crow had carried the memory of what had happened after Jared’s death.  _

_ Welling crouched down so he could watch the light fade from Jared’s eyes. “See, I kept my word,” he snickered once Jared was dead.  _

_ “Well, I guess they got your message,” Rosie chuckled as he kicked at one of the legs of the chair Jared was still secured to, sending the chair backward. “Oops, guess I should have been more careful.” _

_ “It’s time to go, I need to wash the stink of this fucking place off of me.” Welling turned and walked out of the apartment followed closely by Rosenbaum.  _

He growled in rage, beating his hands against the hard ground as he remembered every moment of their deaths, and how he hadn’t been able to do anything to protect Jensen. He let his body slump down so he was lying next to Jensen’s grave, hoping to return to wherever he had come from. “Please… take me back to Jensen,” he cried out to the night sky. 

The cawing of the crow forced him out of his anguish. He couldn’t lie there next to Jensen’s grave and mourn what he had lost, what had been taken from him. That wouldn’t bring Jensen back to him. 

He raised himself onto his knees and ran his fingers across the lettering of Jensen's name. The man he loved, the one he had come back for was dead. The light from the moon glinted off his wedding ring, drawing his eye to his ring finger and his anguish over Jensen's death was replaced with an uncontrollable and searing rage. Jensen had been made to suffer as he had been forced to watch. He now understood why he had been brought back. A smile came to his lips, one that was cold and spoke of darkness. He had been returned to the living so he could make those responsible for their deaths pay. And they would pay dearly, with their lives. He wouldn't rest, he wouldn't stop until that happened.

Another caw from the crow caught Jared’s attention. Silently he turned from the graves and began to walk, following the crow as it flew ahead of him, letting it lead him on his journey. They didn’t get too far, stopping once Jared caught his reflection in a store window. He was covered in dirt and his clothing looked worse for wear. He barked out a humorless laugh at that thought and his reflection. He had just returned from the dead, having clawed his way out of his own grave. “I need to get cleaned up and changed. I can’t be seen like this,” he said more to himself than the crow, but he was met with another caw in response to his words. 

The crow flapped its wings and took flight from the ledge of the building it had been perched on. It circled back, making sure that Jared was following it as it led him through the quiet city streets to an ally. It hopped from foot to foot, its claws clicking on the cement stairs that led to the backdoor of what looked like a surplus store. It cawed once and then flapped a wing at Jared as if trying to make its intentions known to him.

Jared stood staring at the crow, watching it dance around before finally reaching out and trying the doorknob. To his delight and shock, he found the door opened easily. He waited, not entering for fear of an alarm going off. When nothing happened he stepped inside, followed by the crow, closing the door as he looked around. He watched as the crow perched itself on the counter and huffed at it before turning to search through the racks of clothing for something to wear. He didn’t particularly like the idea of stealing, but at this point, he was desperate enough to take what he needed. Within a matter of minutes, he had found a pair of black combat boots in his size, a black beanie, a pair of black jeans, and a black shirt. Taking those with him, he made his way into the bathroom to clean himself up as best he could. When he was washed and dressed, he returned to the counter to find the crow waiting for him. He offered it a smile and a nod. “So, it looks like we’re stuck with each other, huh?” The only response he got from the crow was for it to hop up onto his shoulder. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said as he turned and made his way back out into the ally. 

Once outside, the crow took to the air acting as Jared’s eyes from above as it soared through the sky. When he closed his eyes he got glimpses of what the crow saw as he walked the streets. It took a day of searching the city before they located Michael Rosenbaum. Jared had gotten a glimpse of the man through the eyes of the crow. He had to force himself not to attack Rosie out on the street wanting to exact his revenge, but he hung back, watching the man as he went about his business, instilling fear in those he paid a visit to on Welling’s behalf. 

Quietly Jared entered the pawn shop behind Rosie. He stood unobserved by Rosie and the owner of the shop as they conversed.

“Payment’s due,” Rosie stated as he held out his hand. “Don’t make me wait. I’m not in the mood,” he huffed out when the man remained motionless.

“Please, I don’t have all of it. I need more time,” the shop owner, a balding older man with sallow skin and a paunch begged.

“I don’t give a shit. I’m not here for a sob story. Pay up, or, well, you won’t like the alternative,” Rosie countered back in a dark tone as he withdrew a knife from his back pocket. 

Jared’s eyes narrowed as he saw the glint of a knife blade. Then his hazel eyes widened when he realized the knife Rosie was holding was the one he had nicked Jensen’s throat with. The bastard had kept their knife. 

“See this knife? It doesn’t look like anything special, but let me assure you, it has a very interesting story behind it. I won’t bother going into the details, but the highlight is the couple that it belonged to are now six feet under,” Rosie explained with a hint of fondness in his voice as he smiled darkly at the shop owner.

The man quickly disappeared around the counter and into a room behind the register before hurrying back, shoving a white envelope into Rosie’s still outstretched hand. “Please,” he started to beg, only to have Rosie stop him.

Opening the envelope, Rosie scanned through the stack of bills inside. “This is only half of what you owe in rent. Mr. Welling expects payment in full, on time.”

“It’s all I have.”

“Well, it’s not all you have. You have a wife and daughter, don’t you?”

“Please…”

“I’m a nice guy, right?” Rosie asked, pausing to allow the man to nod his head yes in response. “I’ll make a deal with you. You have your daughter meet me here tonight after you close. She and I will go on a little date, and that’ll buy you an extension of twenty-four hours. That’s pretty nice of me, don’t you think?”

“Please…”

“Would you rather explain to Mr. Welling why you’re short on your rent?”

“No…”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll be back to pick your daughter up around nine tonight. Oh, and tell her to wear something pretty, and low-cut,” Rosie snickered as he slid the knife back into his pocket and walked out of the shop, followed by Jared. 

A dark smile came to Jared’s lips as he watched Rosie get into his car and drive away. There was no reason for him or the crow to follow Rosie, he now had a date with Rosie that night at nine. He could hardly wait, but he had a feeling Rosie was about to be in for the shock of his short life.

That night, at the appointed time, Jared stood in the shadow of the building which housed the pawn shop, waiting for Rosie to appear. He closed his eyes, reaching out to connect with the crow. He got an image of a black car with Rosenbaum behind the wheel. He smiled as he opened his eyes, watching as the car pulled up to the curb. He listened as the engine was cut and heard the sound of the car door being opened and closed. He didn’t move as he watched Rosie pacing in front of the darkened storefront. 

“Where the fuck is that girl?” Rosie fumed. “The bitch is late. Her father’s gonna pay.”

Showing no trace of emotion, Jared stepped out of the shadows. “I sent her home. I figured you and I could spend some time together.”

Rosie whirled around, pulling out the knife in his back pocket as he did. “Who the fuck are you?”

Stepping closer, he offered Rosie a dark smile. “You don’t remember me?” Jared asked in a cold voice. “I’m hurt. I was hoping for a chance to play with you.” He saw the moment Rosenbaum realized who was standing in front of him and his smile widened.

“No way. You can’t be here. We killed you!” 

“Yeah, you did, Rosie,” Jared confirmed as his arm snaked out and he grabbed Rosie by the throat and shoved him against the wall. “You don’t mind if I call you Rosie, do you?” He watched as Rosie tried to shake his head and felt it as he tried to move. “I mean, we’ve been through so much, my husband’s rape and murder. My death. Soon to be your death.” 

“Fucker, I’ll kill you again,” Rosie gasped out as he raised his arm. Still holding the knife, he plunged it into Jared’s side. His eyes widened when Jared barely flinched in pain. 

“You’ll have to do better than that,” Jared said as he pulled the knife out of his body. “I’m already dead, remember? But you’re not.” Taking the knife, he plunged it into Rosie’s stomach, twisting it as he pulled it out. “Bet that hurt, didn’t it?” When he didn’t receive a response, he brought the knife up to Rosie’s neck, nicking Rosie’s skin as he did, mimicking what Rosie had done to Jensen. “I asked you a question.”

“Ye… yes,” Rosie gasped out. 

“Yeah, but do you think the second stab hurts more than the first?” Jared questioned. He didn’t give Rosie a chance to answer before he plunged the knife back into Rosie, making sure to stab him in the shoulder as Rosie had stabbed him that night. 

Rosie opened his mouth and screamed in pain as he was stabbed again. 

“Oh, did that hurt?” Jared asked as he cocked his head to the side. 

Rosie barely had time to nod before Jared plunged the knife into him again. “Please…” he sputtered.

“Yeah, that’s not gonna work with me. I mean it didn’t work when I begged for my husband’s life.” He raised his hand, looking at the knife he was holding, the blade covered in Rosie’s blood. “I’m gonna do something for you to help with the pain,” he said as he brought the knife to Rosie’s throat, slicing his skin and severing his carotid artery. He dropped the knife and stepped back, watching as Rosie brought his hands up, desperately trying to stop himself from bleeding out as Jensen had done before he had died.

As his life began to fade, Rosie slumped down onto the cold unforgiving sidewalk. He looked up, and Jared was the last thing his lifeless eyes looked upon. 

Jared kicked at Rosie’s foot, making sure the man was actually dead before grabbing him by the arms and dragging him around the side of the building to dump his body next to the large metal trash bin. He retraced his steps, bent down, and picked up the knife, sliding it into his back pocket as he walked away. He was joined by the crow, walking the streets in search of Welling.

A day later, with the help of the crow, he found Welling at his office building. He watched the man as he conducted his business from behind a wall of glass windows. To the naive observer, Welling was the picture of a corporate businessman in his suit and tie. Those looking at Welling had no idea what he was actually capable of, but Jared knew all too well. 

When Welling left his office for the night, Jared followed him, making his way on foot to the high-rise Welling called home. He waited outside the building until the doorman propped the door open in order to help another of the residents out with their luggage. He used that opportunity to slip inside the building and up to the penthouse apartment Welling occupied. 

Standing outside Welling’s apartment, Jared closed his eyes, hoping the crow was close so he could see through its eyes. He smiled when he glimpsed an image of Welling looking out over the city skyline with a drink in his hand. 

With Welling’s attention focused elsewhere, Jared reached out and tried the doorknob. He was amazed to find that Welling had either been too stupid or too arrogant enough to not bother locking his door. Stepping inside, he quietly closed the door and then looked around the apartment. He heard the sound of Welling’s voice as he spoke into his cell phone. 

“Where the fuck are you Rosie? You better have a good answer as to why you’ve been AWOL all day. And it better not be that you were balls deep in some whore,” Welling gritted out before ending the call. A flash of movement in the reflection of the window caught Welling’s attention. He turned and came face-to-face with a man dressed in black standing in his penthouse. “I don’t know who the hell you are, but you just walked into the wrong fucking apartment,” he snarled out.

“What are you going to do? Are you going to call your man Rosie?” Jared asked as he tilted his head to the side. “Let me save you the trouble of making the call because he won’t be answering. The dead don’t take phone calls.”

“What the fuck do you want? Do you know who I am?” Welling demanded.

“Yeah, I know exactly who you are, Welling. I also know you’re a rapist and a murderer.”

“You’ve got me confused with someone else,” Welling said hotly. 

“No, I don’t, and you clearly don’t remember me, or my husband, Jensen.” Jared watched as Welling’s eyes widened when he realized what he was talking about. “Ah, you do remember. Good, we can move this along.”

“You’re…”

“Dead, yeah, I’m aware of that fact, yet here I am,” Jared chuckled darkly as he threw his arms open. “Fucking amazing isn’t it?” He took a step back, turned and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing one of the large knives displayed from the magnetic board hanging on the wall. “Do you still like knives?” he inquired as he turned back to Welling, pointing the knife tip at him.

“We can work this out. I’m sure we can come to some kind of understanding, you and I,” Welling said as he waved his hands in front of himself. “I’ve got plenty of money, just name your price,” Welling offered.

“You’re trying to bargain for your life? Like I did when I begged you to leave my husband out of it?” Jared bellowed. “Like when I begged you to stop when you were raping him? Did that work? Did you stop? Did you stop when I begged you to let him go?” He pointed the knife at Welling again. “Let me answer that for you, no, you didn’t. The only thing I want in payment for what you did to Jensen is your life. I’ve already collected on Rosie, now it’s your turn to pay up.” 

Hearing Jared’s words, Welling turned and tried to run from him, but Jared was faster, tackling him to the ground. He grunted as the wind was knocked out of him. His fingers scrambled for purchase against the white marble tiled floor as he tried to get away from the man who was straddling his legs, holding him down.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Jared raised the knife and brought it down, slashing a long gash across Welling’s back. He watched as Welling’s blood bloomed from the wound, a sense of satisfaction filled him at the sight.

Welling’s eyes widened as he registered the pain from the wound Jared had just inflicted on him. He yelled out in pain as Jared slashed at his back again. “Please…” he gasped out.

“Please? Please what, stop?”

Welling nodded his head in answer to Jared’s question.

“Are you still breathing?” Jared taunted before plunging the knife into Welling’s right side, making sure to twist the blade as he yanked it out. 

Welling screamed in pain. “Please… no more.”

Jared raised the knife again and plunged it into Welling again on his other side, mimicking what Welling had done to Jensen. 

Welling screamed in pain again.

Jared leaned over Welling. “Your pain, your screams, are like music to my ears. Isn’t that what you said to my husband?”

“Please…”

“You look like you’re hurting,” Jared said as he grabbed a fist full of Welling’s hair and yanked his head back. “Let me stop the pain for you. Isn’t that what you said to Jensen right before you slit his throat?”

Welling could only gasp in pain.

Still holding onto Welling by his hair, Jared let the larger knife fall to the floor with a clatter and pulled out the knife he had taken from Rosie, the one that had belonged to him and Jensen. “You shouldn’t have touched my husband,” Jared gritted out as he brought the knife to Welling’s neck, slicing him open from ear-to-ear. He let go of the knife, heard it clatter onto the marble floor and then let go of Welling’s head, letting it fall to the floor with a thud. 

Taking a deep breath, Jared forced himself up and onto his feet. He looked down at Welling’s body, watching as the man’s blood pooled around his body. He stood there, not moving until Welling’s blood stopped flowing. He couldn’t get himself to move until he was sure that Welling was truly dead. Once he was sure, he walked over to the balcony doors and threw them open, joining the crow, feeling a need for the wind on his face. Together they stood there in silence until the sun began to rise in the sky. 

Silently he turned and walked back into the apartment, stepping over Welling’s body. Going to the kitchen sink, he scrubbed Welling’s blood from his hands before leaving the apartment and slipping unseen from the building. He blended in with those out hurriedly walking along the sidewalk to wherever they needed to get to. As he walked, his thoughts began to wander.

He had fulfilled his goal, making Welling and Rosenbaum pay with their lives for what had been done to him, and more importantly what had been done to Jensen. Yet he was still here. Why was he still walking this earth? Why hadn’t he faded from existence? Was this another cruelty that life was throwing at him, keeping him here despite Jensen being dead? The cawing of the crow pulled him from his dark thoughts. As if on autopilot, he followed the crow. He knew where the crow was leading him, and he went willingly. He walked past the open metal gate of the cemetery, and kept walking, only stopping when he reached their burial plots. This time something was different. He was no longer filled with a seething rage. He was no longer filled with an uncontrollable desire for revenge. He was tired. He wanted to close his eyes and sleep the sleep of the dead, but he couldn't, not yet. Something was keeping him here, and he had no idea what it was.

A man, awash in sunlight, was standing by their graves, facing his and Jensen’s headstones. At first, he had to shield his eyes as the light brightened and then began to fade as the man turned to face him. He blinked several times thinking the light was playing tricks with him; making him see what he had been longing to see, his husband. “Jensen?” Jared breathed out in shock. Jensen still looked as breathtaking as he remembered, even in death. 

Jensen stepped forward, raised his arms, and cupped Jared’s cheeks in his hands. “Jared,” he breathed out and then raised himself up so he was able to place a soft kiss on Jared’s lips. 

“Jensen,” Jared said again, still trying to make sense of what was happening, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Jensen was with him, that they were together again. His heart had ached for Jensen, needing to see him one more time.

“It's time to come home. It's time to rest,” Jensen whispered as he wiped away Jared's tears. “I've missed you. I love you. Come back to me.”

“Is this a dream?”

Jensen offered Jared a sad smile. “The dead don't dream.”

“I've missed you so much. It hurts not to be with you. I want to come home to you. I’m so tired.”

“Then come home. You did what you needed to do, now it’s time to let go of your rage. Be with me forever. Please, Jared, I can’t rest without you.”

“Yes,” Jared begged. “Please take me home.”

“All you had to do was ask,” Jensen murmured as he placed another soft kiss on Jared’s lips. 

Jared pulled Jensen closer to him, encircling Jensen in his arms as he buried his face in the crook of Jensen’s neck, closing his eyes as his anger began to flow out of him to be replaced with a sense of peace. “I love you,” he murmured as they began to shimmer and then fade from existence.

With the flapping of wings, a crow landed on Jared’s headstone, cawing as it settled there.

Sometimes, when two people are meant to be together, nothing can keep them apart, not even death.

**Author's Note:**

> Images found on Google.


End file.
